In Light of the Ongoing HK protests and China's threats I think it's time we Revisit Employee Speech

Nov 25, 2019 1:19 AM

TheEvenPrez

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You've seen the controversies tied to the HK protests. You can be certain after Blizzard, the NBA and now the UK/Australia governments were threatened other companies out there are afraid to be the next HK/China controversy. Policy for large companies now is to keep quiet on controversial topics, and encourage/command their employees to do the same. This is a problem since in many states they can descriminate on the basis of political belief.

This speaks to a larger issue. I doubt you agree with everything you employer does or believes. There needs to be laws protecting individual rights to voice their social/political opinion without reprisal. Obvious caveats like hate speech, libel, lawbreaking, or wasting company resources notwithstanding. This is only going to be more of an issue as time goes on.

Corps will try to make money to whatever extent possible, they got no moral interest. The only treatment is making them more democratic.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

You mean labor laws? Most civilized countries already have those.

6 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

While there are labor laws, speech laws on political affiliation vary from state to state.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

If Bluzzard had a clear policy ahead of time there would never have been an issue.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

Blizzard/NBA was the spark, but in a world where corporations have clout on you, this is a needed conversation.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

If only there were some way for workers to unite together and protect each other from businesses that only care about the bottom line.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Corporations shouldn't be policing speech at all. Sadly we live in an era where Twitter is more important than reality to many people.

6 years ago | Likes 17 Dislikes 0

except for union organizing … not on company time!!

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

careful how those laws are written too. else that protest against inhuman working condition turns to hate speech vs management, libel on the

6 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

compagny and wasting ressources by blocking workers from entering, even if you are alone.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Companies that do make stands for social justice issues often get a ton of backlash (i.e. get woke go broke). And it ends up hurting them

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Possible, but Hbomber did a piece on how the opposite can happen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06yy88tLWlg

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Get woke go broke, despite being a catchy rhyme, isn't really a thing that happens. The main effect of the backlash is great advertising.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

We don't need that. Stop being a pussy and say what you feel or don't.

6 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 2

I personally wouldn't care about my job if it meant freedom, but like most people I have loved ones to consider with each word typed.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

And that's a decision everybody has to make. Freedom of speech doesn't provide freedom from the consequences of what you say.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

Then we live in a world where people can't speak out against corruption.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

People wouldn't speak out even if they were protected. Criminals aren't exactly the type to not seek out revenge.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I'm curious then, what's your take on this matter? Is there something that can be done?

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Nope you are dead wrong on that. It's freedom from government censorship. It isn't freedom of speech and freedom from personal consequences.

6 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 2

It actually is, as John Stuart Mill points out in On Liberty.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 2

Personal consequence is fine if those consequences come from the judgements of other individuals. However its not ok when

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Corporations regulate the flow of moral thought and articulations. That is the role of the individual to make. Not of free market machines

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I say this as someone in favor of free markets. Capitalism should only be involved in problems capitalism can solve.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

If I may ask, what do we do when a government tells your employer to silence you on twitter because they don't like what you are saying?

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

Do you have evidence of this injustice or you just speculating?

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

So what if you're employed by a gov contractor and you tweet out about the new weapon you're developing? You think that should b protected 2

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

No reprisals because that is government and business colluding to shut your 1st ammendment rights?

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1